


What You're Missing

by Audinosaurus



Category: Persona 2, Persona 4
Genre: Child Loss, Children, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-18 14:30:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 6,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13683606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Audinosaurus/pseuds/Audinosaurus
Summary: Dojima's late, again, and now there's a strange woman in his house who says she's adopting Nanako now. Can someone just adopt someone's daughter? Warning for child death in chapter 16.





	1. Compromise

It really was scary, leaving Nanako at home.

When Dojima was doing paperwork, his house was a seperate world. He felt like he could reach his hands out and lay them on Nanako's small cheek, just barely, but it was so far away. Ever since those deaths had started, even having Souji at home wasn't enough.

Souji was always out and about with his friends.

Dojima never know if Nanako was with them or not. He never could think of it for more than a few seconds.

Murder. Ropes. Body. Cause of death. Glass. Car review. Telephone pole. School. Age, 17. 

Everything blurred together. His hands moved without his input half the time, the smell of whisky on his breath and hands as he filled out paper after paper.

Cause of death. Telephone pole. Let early from class. Surviving. Murder. Hit and run. Murder. 

He'd come home. He'd shove food in his mouth, if there was any left. Sometimes he would see Nanako. She was alive. She was excitable, vibrant, and alive. 

Dojima felt disconnected from her entirely. 

There was one day. Souji was out of town-- That was terrifying for him. What could happen while he was gone?

What couldn't happen?

When Dojima arrived home, something felt off. The house felt more like a home, brighter. There was incense burning in the altar, and a candle on the counter. 

It took a long moment for his eyes to focus on the fact that there was a woman seated at his table. 

Dojima's eyes focused rather suddenly, snapped to reality by the sight of a stranger in his house. 

A woman.

Short, black hair and an outfit that certainly. . .had a certain kind of appeal.

And a smile across her face.

"Good evening!" She spoke up, voice even cheerier, and Dojima reached for his gun.

"Nonono, that won't be necessary. Let me introduce myself." She started. "I'm Maya Amano. I'm a reporter and editor for Kismet Publishing. I hear you're the big dog in town, huh? One of our good men in blue." 

Maya was beaming. Dojima was confused.

"I'm a detective." He answered, short, though her cherry tone did make him stand up straight. Why was she here? Was there a puspose to this? 

"See, I'm here to do some work with the local paper in exchange for some stories back home, so anything interesting gets my attention." Maya said, resting her hand on her cheek. "I met the cutest little girl today, right? And I'm helping her pick the best canned crab to use for dinner, and she says she's excited to make dinner for her Daddy. Who isn't ever home on time. Who promised to be home on time today. So that they could eat together."

The more Maya talked, the more the guilt started to settle in Ryotaro's stomach like burning coals. 

He had said he would be on time today. 

"Is that you?"

". . ." Dojima didn't dare speak.

"So! I have a compromise for you." Maya spoke, clearing her throat and sitting up straight and professional.

"I'm Nanako's father now."

"W-what does that mean!?"

"Well, you didn't tell her you'd be late, and you promised her you'd be on time, so! I'm going to be here forrr--" She checked her watch as though that gave any indication. "Four months! I'm adopting her until then so that she'll have someone to feed. Aaand my schedule's more flexible, so I can walk her home from school and help her with dinner. I'm an awful cook,but extra hands never hurt anyone!"

"You can't just--"

"What's the other option, Dojima-san?~"

Maya snickered, leaning in some.

Dojima grumbled.

"You're just going to /take/ my daughter?"

"I'll be spending a few nights on your couch."

Dojima knew he wasn't going to get anything done arguing with her.

This was just the newest fixture of his life, he supposed.


	2. How Her Day Went

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dojima confronts Maya about her intentions.

Ryotaro hadn't known just how easily Maya would integrate himself into the Dojima household.

He'd come home to the three of them -- Nanako, Souji, and Maya, laughing and chattering. They'd offer him a plate. He would eat the food. Sometimes it was burned. Sometimes it had too much salt.

It tasted home-cooked. 

The house was cleaner, he thought. He wasn't quite sure how. 

There were flowers at the altar every day. He kept his mouth shut.

The murders flooded his mind. 

There was a strange woman in his house parenting his daughter.

Ryotaro usually sulked to his room before Maya did anything besides chat with the kids and idly clean (not very well, mind you, but it was something).

It wasn't until several weeks in that Dojima elected to stay up and wait for the others to go to bed, waiting to talk to just Maya.

"Why are you here?"

"Oh-- I thought Nanako needed some help, remember?" Maya questioned, blinking as she slid some plates into a stack in the cubbord. She dressed more casual now than when they first met, in jeans and and a plain t-shirt. 

"No, why are you in Inaba? You mentioned that you're an editor." 

Maya lowered herself off her tip-toes to sit at the table, sipping the tea Nanako had made earlier. 

"I'm in town to write about the murders." Maya admitted confidently.

"And you just happened to pick a police detective's daughter?" Dojima narrowed his eyes, anger building in his stomach.

"Mm, I suppose." Maya was non-chalant about it. 

"Sure." Dojima growled. "And what do you and Nanako talk about while I'm gone, huh? What bullshit are you putting into her head, Miss Reporter?"

Maya's eyes went cold.

"I talk to her about how her day went. You might like to try it sometime, 'Dad'."

Before Dojima could even feel guilty about it, Maya had grabbed her purse and shuffled off toward the door, boots heavy on the ground. 

Dojima felt a sick kind of pride at having seemingly scared her off, but in the morning, Maya was back bright and early to walk with Souji and Nanako to school.


	3. Part of My Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya gets a phone call during dinner.

Eventually, Dojima's suspicions of Maya being a rag-tag reporter fighting for the lead faded when Maya excused herself to answer a phone call and Ryotaro couldn't help but eavesdrop .

He knew it was below him, but he couldn't himself, listening in after feigning putting his jacket away.

"Mizuno--" Maya stopped almost immediately, obviously being talked over, phone pressed hot against her cheek. Dojima could just barely hear the sound of someone speaking very quickly and very, very loudly over the phone. 

"I know, I know-- I don't have anything yet, but I've never let you down before, right?"

"I'm not here for that, I'm here to find fresh meat for magazines. The murders aren't part of my job. "

It hadn't been about the murders or his police work at all, Dojima realized, especially as Maya spoke on about some of the writing she'd read from people in town.

Maya sighed and shook her head and straightened herself out as the call ended, returning inside.

"Do you need something?" She asked, grinning. Maya knew she'd resolved what was left of his fears. 

"N-no."

"Go eat." 

Maya walked past him with an air of confidence despite that Dojima knew she'd just been chewed out. 

It wasn't until moments after she had returned to the table that he noticed red scarring across her collarbone, just barely peeking from her shirt.

Maya really was a strange woman.


	4. Back in the Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya isn't there when Dojima gets home.

There was one day where Ryotaro came home and saw just Nanako and Souji, putting together a puzzle on the table with Maya nowhere to be found.

It already felt emptier, not having here there. 

"Where's Maya?" Ryotaro asked, and the two looked up from their puzzle for a moment.

"Oh. She had work today. She said she'll be back in the morning." Nanako answered simply. 

Dojima had memories of Nanako's disappointment over cancelled plans and late arrivals, and yet there wasn't a taste of that at all in her current expression. She just looked. . .oddly content. 

Dojima couldn't help but notice it. All of those time he'd let Nanako down, and yet Maya doing the same thing didn't affect her.

Why?

Maya was there bright and early the next morning to walk with Nanako and Souji to school.


	5. The Futon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryotaro brings home something new.

Ryotaro occasionally woke up in the middle of the night, haunted by the leads he had yet to find on every case he worked.

The most disheartening part of it all was when he wandered to the kitchen to get a glass of water saw a beautiful woman on his couch, curled up in her daily clothes, a stuffed rabbit in her arms. 

He was always extra quiet to not disturb her slumber, but something about it felt. . . Inappropriate.  
What was the least he could do?

He tried not to think about how much Maya was doing for him. 

Ryotaro stopped by Junes on his way home after a night when he'd been paticularly haunted. He picked up a fold-out futon and some actual pillows 

He waited until Maya was fast asleep to set it up. Like Hell he was going to deal with confrontation. 

The futon became a regularly used item from then on. Ryotaro was glad Maya was smart enough not to ask him about it.


	6. Isn't In The Cards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya and Dojima eat alone.

There was one evening where Maya and Dojima ate alone.

Nanako and Souji had gone off on an adventure (which meant eating at Junes rather than home), leaving Maya in charge of meal preparations.

That also meant that for dinner, Ryotaro and Maya had boxed lunches prepared by a shop down the street.

"You don't cook?" Ryotaro asked as Maya offered him the box.

"I do, I'm just not good at it!" Maya laughed. "Nanako's a natural! She knows just when to take stuff off without it getting burned. I kinda wish I had that skill, too."

"She's a great kid." Dojima gave a proud nod. He knew none of that was his skill. Chisato had always been the talented one.

"The other day she showed me how to make a rose out of a tomato. It didn't help much, but it sure looked cute! And-- the other day, she brought home this great drawing from school. I put it on the fridge!" 

Maya was pouring praise as though it was for her own child rather than one she'd barged in and taken from under Dojima's wing. He listened intently regardless.

"Do you have any children?" Ryotaro asked, curious.

Maya shook her head.

"Nope, just isn't in the cards just yet. I'd like to, though."

"Ah." Ryotaro sipped the can of beer he'd swiped from the fridge, closing his eyes for a moment.

It reminded him of eating with Chisato, ages ago, before Nanako was even a thought in their mind. Chisato always hand-made their lunches, with cute octopuses made of hot-dogs and super hero emblems cut out of seaweed. 

"It's pretty good, though, right? The radish." Maya spoke up after a long moment, not wanting to let the silence set in. 

"It is. You picked them well."

"I do my best! It could use more crab, but it's nutrients, right? You take what you can get!" 

Maya was always so cheerful.

Ryotaro didn't know how she did it.

Maya never lost her focus. Maya never even seemed angry-- at worst, she was frustrated. She just seemed. . .

Like a mom.


	7. Telling You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya visits Dojima at work.

Maya had developed a habit.

Sitting at home waiting with Nanako didn't seem to be enough anymore. 

If Ryotaro didn't at least sent off a text or call to make sure everyone was aware when his schedule changed, Maya would be down at the station, checking on the status of it until he came home.

It was embarassing at best, humiliating at worst.

Ryotaro gritted his teeth as the reporter approached his desk for the first time.

"Did you forget about something?" Maya asked, voice cheerful but eyes stern.

"I'm busy." Dojima had papers spread across his desk, filling out reports and signing documents.

"Your daughter's at home waiting for you. She'd like to know when you'll be home."

"When I'm /finished/." He tried to keep his voice quiet, tried to keep others from hearing.

"Alright." Maya pulled up a chair and sat in front of him. Dojima glanced up at her for a moment before going back to working on his papers. What trouble 

"So, today in class they started learning about metamorphosis. Nanako's class even is going to raise some butterflies, so she's super excited about seeing them-- She even showed me some butterflies she drew. She's also starting to--"

"What /are/ you doing?"

"Telling you what you're missing."

Dojima paused for a second. It was an oddly simplistic way of making a point. He swallowed hard and finished the paperwork on his desk, setting it aside. 

"Fine. I get it. Let's go."

He begrudingly pulled himself up, jacket tossed over his shoulder, and headed toward the door. Maya followed cheerfully, proud of her work. 

From then on,every time Dojima thought it'd be alright to text them a little later, he heard Maya's boots against the office floor.


	8. Grass is Greener

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya and Nanako make popsicles for the squad.

"Eeeeh, Yuki-san, huh?" Maya was a pure chatterbox.

It was a bit crowded, with Yosuke, Kanji, Yukiko, Chie, Teddie, and Rise crammed inside of the small Dojima household.

"One of my best friend is a 'Yuki-san', too! She's Yukino, though. She's a photographer! I bet I could have her come down here sometime, if you'd like to meet her. . ." 

Maya happily chattered with the teens. There was something about her that seemed to just be 'on their level', for lack of a better word. 

Nanako wanted to have a party, and Maya had decided the best way to do that was popsicles, especially on a hot summer's day like this one. 

Her and Nanako had spent all Saturday evening working on sea salt ice cream, which from what Maya was telling them, had almost turned disastrous several times. 

Ryotaro finally had an afternoon off and he was spending it on this. He was a bit begrudged, but Nanako's cheerful demeanor made it more tolerable. 

Maya's cheerful demeanor helped a bit, too. 

"Where do you live, Maya-san?" Rise asked, beaming. The teens all seemed excited to meet someone new, especially someone from the city.

"It's Sumaru-- a few hours away!"

"That's a huge city!" Yosuke was amazed by the revelation. "How did you get all the way to Inaba!?"

"I took the train!" Maya grinned. 

"That far!?"

"It's better than driving! Plus, I like the scenery. It's the people who make the towns worth living in, you know?"

"Easy for you to say. . ." Chie grumbled it out.

"Mm, I know. The grass is always greener, but everyone has someplace they prefer. I don't think I could live in the country forever. I like the action at home! The drama!"

"That's the spirit!" Rise cheered, and the group laughed. Ryotaro sat to the side and watched Nanako remove popsicles form their holders, occasionally getting assistance from any number of the odd people who'd taken up residence in his house.

"Did we do a good job!?" Nanako asked, eager and curious as she watched them finally take their first tastes.

"It's great, Nanako!" Yukiko was the first to speak up.

All of them took turns offering their praise, including Maya, up until Yosuke lurched his head into his hands, suffering the effects of an apparent brainfreeze.


	9. I'm Not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nanako asks questions during dinner.

Maya was setting out plates and dishing up food on one of the rare occasions where Ryotaro had gotten home before her and Nanako were able to finish making a meal, humming as she did. 

"Dad, is Maya-san like my new 'mom'?" Nanako asked during the normal dinner chatter, eyes wide.

Both Ryotaro and Souji had some shock to the question, though Maya herself seemed to handle it in stride. 

"Mmm, that's kind of a funny question, huh?" She smiled down as Nanako, reaching to touch her shoulder. "I can be like a mom, but I won't ever replace /your/ mom, you know? That's special."

"Are you a mom, Maya-san?"

"I'm not." 

Ryotaro spotted it, for just one moment. Pain.

When Nanako asked the question, he just barely saw underneath Maya's open facade, a brief snapshot of pain.

He wondered what had caused it, but wouldn't dare ask.

"--But! I still support you, and I love you, so if you ever need anything, just let me know, alright, Nanako-chan?" Maya continued as though it hadn't felt like a stake to the heart.

"Yay!" Nanako kicked her feet at her chair. "Maya-san, we should go down to the river sometime!"

"That sounds great, Nanako-chan!"

Ryotaro held the new knowledge like a fragile secret in his mind.


	10. A Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nanako and Maya invite Dojima to play.

Ryotaro didn't want to admit that he was fond of Maya.

She was like Supergirl or Miss America. Maya always know what to say and what to do. It meant he could overlook how badly she looked and the fact that she picked out the most awful clothes when she actually tried.

He felt like he knew nothing about her, but laughing with her, with Nanako and Souji. . .

It made him feel whole, at least for a little bit.

It made Ryotaro feel like he had a family again for the first time since Chisato's death.

Could Maya be . . .?

He pushed the thought out of his mind He had a job to do, after all. 

The murders were still fresh in his mind.

Chisato was still fresh in his mind.

Ryotaro cleared his throat. He was watching Maya and Nanako play in the living room, building something overly elaborate with wooden log-style toys Maya had found at a thrift store. 

"This is where the attic should go!" Nanako insisted, and Maya nodded in agreement, grabbing a handful of logs to start building the attic onto the square-looking house.

"Dojima-san! You should come play with us, too!" Maya encouraged after a moment, looking up from her spot on the floor. 

"Eh? I'm not. . ." Ryotaro's brow furrowed in confusion at the summon, sipping off of the drink in front of him.

Maya had encouraged him to drink more water and less coffee. She hadn't said it out loud, but she meant less booze as well.

Before Ryotaro could protest any more, Nanako had bounded up and grabbed his hands in her's, dragging him down to the floor, where he fell into an awkward cross legged position. 

"How do I. . ?"

The two thrust pieces into Ryotaro's hands, simultaneously instructing him on how to build small wooden shapes and places. He couldn't help but grin ear to ear, trying to capture any words between the two of them.

This was a good thing. Having a family was a good thing.


	11. A Little Personal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team chats with Maya about her work.

". . .So you did a story about that book with the alligator? Did you get to meet the guy who wrote it!?" Rise was excitably prodding Maya about some work she'd found online.

"Ahh, no, he'd already passed away when the book came out. I met his mother and his girlfriend, though!"

"I didn't even know he had a girlfriend." Kanji spoke up, having also found a way to look things up. 

"Let's see. . ." Maya prodded at her phone for a moment, digging up a picture of a white haired man in a wheelchair and a mousey-looking brunette. "This is a photo his mother gave me. Cute, huh? His girlfriend is the one who got the book published." 

"That wasn't in the article!" Rise gasped as she grabbed for the phone, hogging it to look close for a moment before showing it to the others as well.

"Mm, I thought it was a little personal, so I didn't include it."

"Reporters get all the cool perks! I even saw that you got to meet the Muses! They're idol legends!"

"I had a friend in their school!" Maya laughed, though she was happy to be asked those questions. 

It didn't always feel rewarding with the job she was given. Maya thought a lot about her father, about how important his work was compared to Kismet. . .

It was nice to be admired once in a while. 

Sometimes Maya thought about the young author and his young girlfriend. She couldn't imagine losing someone like that. 

Maya didn't want to be alone, if she could help it.


	12. Experiences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya and Dojima chat at a bar.

He had invited her out to a bar, for once. 

It was quiet, but Maya was thankful for the opportunity to go out for a while, even if she knew she could have done it alone.

"Wooow, this is the first time I've been anywhere in Inaba! The bars here are totally different than Sumaru." Maya was ecstatic.

"Smaller, huh?"

"Not really. Less flashy." She laughed, taking a sip of the watermelon-based mixed drink she'd ordered. "It's a little bit. . .quiet. It's nice." 

"I'm glad. I don't usually drink with people who aren't on the force." Ryotaro admitted it almost sheepishly. He watched the light reflect off the ice cubes in his scotch. 

"It's fun, going out once in a while, right? Though I usually pig out on food instead. . ."

"Should I have--"

"Nonono!" Maya quickly defended, waving a hand. "This is great, too! A little change is good." 

Truthfully, it felt a bit awkward, but the alcohol helped.

". . .Do you really like it?" Ryotaro asked after a long silence.

"Hmmm?"

"Bein' in a small city like this. Looking after a child that isn't yours. Sleeping on a futon."

Maya blinked for a moment, straw still in her mouth.

"It's kind of weird, you know? But it's not the weirdest thing I've done."

"What is the weirdest thing?"

"Ahh, I got kicked out of a blimp once, that was pretty strange. Or when I was in that burning museum. Or when I visited that asylum. . ." 

"Jeez. You sure do have a lot of experiences."

"I'm just trying to live!" Maya laughed. "We all are, right? I'm sure you've had some, too."

"One time," Ryotaro looked down into his glass. "I was carrying Chisato on the back of my scooter and she fell off and sprained her ankle. I felt like shit, but it was pretty funny later on." 

"Really!? The back of a scooter! That's cool!" Maya gushed, burying her pride at hearing Ryotaro finally open up about Chisato, even a little bit. 

She buried her own thoughts about Tatsuya's motorcycle. Had it really been that long since she'd seen it? It felt like just a few weeks. 

"She drew Featherman all over her cast!" Ryotaro couldn't help but laugh, remembering the cartoon drawings and how excited Chisato had been about them.

"Who was her favorite?"

"Blue sawn, by far."

"When I was little, I used to play as them all the time! I was blue Swan because I was the most motherly." 

They laughed, bonding over Featherman for that short period of time. It felt like, for a brief moment, there was nothing else outside of enjoying eachother's company. 

Ryotaro couldn't help but think about what a relief it was to have someone who had the same ideals-- nostalgia and making Nanako happy. 

He felt like he had a friend of his own caliber. Adachi was. . .arguably terrible, dimwitted and manic, and Souji was just a kid. Maya was someone in his own vein.


	13. There

Dojima had been at the police station.

Souji was in his custody.

Maya was out of town, in Okina, interviewing some politician for something.

Maya had kept quiet for several weeks. She could feel the resonance off of Souji, but knew it wasn't her buisness to be involved.

It wasn't her buisness anymore. Philemon knew what he was doing, right?

Right up until Nanako went missing. 

Maya had never been anywhere faster. 

She stood strong in front of the investigative team, stopping them in their tracks as they were running toward the door.

She watched the anger twist them up as they all simultaneously yelled for her to move-- for Nanako.

"I need you to know!" Maya was almost yelling as well, the commotion of colors and voices loud and obvious. The police station had been chaotic enough.

"I know about those things inside of you!"

That got them all to quiet down for just one moment, while Maya dragged the group towards an abandoned hall of the police station.

"It was years ago. At least ten. . .I fought something bigger than me, too. I need you to know." Maya spoke to the pale and manic teenagers. "Can you tell? If someone has a Persona, I mean."

"I can." Rise admitted, and Teddie gave a nod, but the group was otherwise silent.

"I can. . .My group could. I don't know what changed, but I lost someone then, I can't lose anyone else."

"Who did you lose. . .?" Yukiko asked.

"Someone I cared about very much." Maya smield sadly. "This. . .I can't help here. I don't think it'd be correct, but I wanted you to know, that if it gets down to it, I'll be there for Nanako-chan, even if it means everything changing."

Maya offered her all to them.

She also went to the hospital every day to offer little prayers to Nanako's recovery, even when she wasn't allowed inside to visit Nanako herself.

She didn't talk to Ryotaro. She felt too much guilt that she hadn't jumped in sooner.

(Souji wondered if Maya could have helped at all. Even if Maya was like them, even a little bit, would it have helped in the TV World if her persona didn't awaken there?)

Even when Nanako got worse, Maya was there.

She couldn't open her mouth to speak. Watching Ryotaro yell, seeing Nanako in pain, she was awestruck.

Maya had a hand clamped over her mouth. She felt like her stomach was in knots. She couldn't help Nanako.

When Nanako had died, Maya sat in the hallway with everyone else. 'With all of these children', she thought.

She listened with Ryotaro, and with 'these children' as the doctor said they couldn't find any information.

Tears slid down her cheeks, one after another.

There was the faint clacking of shoes down the hallway.


	14. Inside of You

Dojima had been at the police station.

Souji was in his custody.

Maya was out of town, in Okina, interviewing some politician for something.

Maya had kept quiet for several weeks. She could feel the resonance off of Souji, but knew it wasn't her buisness to be involved.

It wasn't her buisness anymore. Philemon knew what he was doing, right?

Right up until Nanako went missing. 

Maya had never been anywhere faster. 

She stood strong in front of the investigative team, stopping them in their tracks as they were running toward the door.

She watched the anger twist them up as they all simultaneously yelled for her to move-- for Nanako.

"I need you to know!" Maya was almost yelling as well, the commotion of colors and voices loud and obvious. The police station had been chaotic enough.

"I know about those things inside of you!"

That got them all to quiet down for just one moment, while Maya dragged the group towards an abandoned hall of the police station.

"It was years ago. At least ten. . .I fought something bigger than me, too. I need you to know." Maya spoke to the pale and manic teenagers. "Can you tell? If someone has a Persona, I mean."

"I can." Rise admitted, and Teddie gave a nod, but the group was otherwise silent.

"I can. . .My group could. I don't know what changed, but I lost someone then, I can't lose anyone else."

"Who did you lose. . .?" Yukiko asked.

"Someone I cared about very much." Maya smiled sadly. "This. . .I can't help here. I don't think it'd be right, but I wanted you to know, that if it gets down to it, I'll be there for Nanako-chan, even if it means everything changing."

Maya offered her all to them. 

She also went to the hospital every day to offer little prayers to Nanako's recovery, even when she wasn't allowed inside to visit Nanako herself.

She didn't talk to Ryotaro. She felt too much guilt that she hadn't jumped in sooner.

(Souji wondered if Maya could have helped at all. Even if Maya was like them, even a little bit, would it have helped in the TV World if her persona didn't awaken there?)

Even when Nanako got worse, Maya was there.

She couldn't open her mouth to speak. Watching Ryotaro yell, seeing Nanako in pain, she was awestruck.

Maya had a hand clamped over her mouth. She felt like her stomach was in knots. She couldn't help Nanako.

When Nanako had died, or at least appeared to do so, Maya sat in the hallway with everyone else. 'With all of these children', she thought.

She listened with Ryotaro, and with 'these children' as the doctor said they couldn't find any information.

Tears slid down her cheeks, one after another.

There was the faint clacking of shoes down the hallway.


	15. Not Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paths cross between a detective sent to assist with the investigation and Maya's newcomer fiancée.

"Dojima Ryotaro, I had some questions--"

"Not now!" Ryotaro yelled, and the man in the grey suit took a step back. He could tell this was a tense situation, and looking around made it clear there was more going on than his orders.

"Questions Ryotaro Dojima about the suspect, Taro Namatame". As usual, it was more complicated than that. 

He stood, stoic, and took in details.

There was a name on the hospital door, Nanako Dojima. That explained why Dojima was so far from his room, and it also gave him a hint as to why they'd brought someone from so far away to handle this. 

There were teens there. A good amount of teens, with various multicolored jacket. His eyes scanned the woman furthest away, but before he could even open his mouth to gasp, he felt arms wrapped around him.

All of the investigative team had realized the newcomer was a police officer, but seeing Maya practically tackle him brought about a few gasps.

Dojima had moved against the bench, clutching his stomach still from the pain, but wanting to know who it was who had called his name.

He was tall-- taller than Dojima, anyway. His suit was stylish and well-pressed, and the gun in his holster shined as though it'd never been touched.

His red glasses even matched the tone of his shirt, not that it was very visible through the woman pressed to his chest. 

"Amano-san---" The man's voice wavered, arms slowly wrapping around her as the confusion hung heavy in the air.

"Kacchan. . ." 

"Who are you?" Dojima spoke through gritted teeth. 

There was a special kind of anger associated with seeing Maya hug someone else, someone new. Ryotaro almost felt threatened, defensive to it, especially given whoever this was already knew him.

The man stood up a bit straighter, wrapping an arm around Maya, who's soft cries were muffled by his wool suit sportcoat. He looked strong.

"My name is Katsuya Suou, I'm a detective from Sumaru's police department. I was here to investigate Taro Namatame but it seems like now is not a good time."

"My daughter just died." 

Hearing the words out loud made some of the investigation squad cringe, the pain still fresh. Katsuya swallowed hard.

Ryotaro was in too much pain to notice the pain of others right now.

Nanako was all he'd had left. Nanako and Souji and. . .Maya.

"I'm sorry to hear that. If you have time, I'd like to ask you some questions later on."

"Didn't you hear him!?" Kanji was the loudest one-- his bitterness towards the law showing through. 

"This is stupid!" Yosuke joined in, the teens voices slowly filling the hall as Katsuya squeezed his arm around Maya, breathing deep.

"I understand. I'll stay out of your way." Katsuya looked down at his feet, trying to make the decision. Maya was still on his side, and the faces around him were staring him down. 

Maya realized quickly that she was holding Katsuya back, wiping her eyes rather curiously and breathing down the last of her sobs. 

"This is Katsuya-- Kacchan." She introduced, and that seemed to ease the rest of the group some, despite the hanging confusion, which only intensifies as Maya continued. "He's my fiancee."

"You're /engaged/, Maya-san?" Yukiko blinked, surprised. 

None of them had thought of Maya having her own friends and life in that way. They only thought about the Maya they know in Inaba, the editor and reporter.

At least with that out of the way, Katsuya felt more comfortable speaking.

"What brought you here, Maya?" 

"Nanako. . ." Maya replied, voice wavering. Katsuya quickly realized that Maya had gotten herself wrapped in this, and he wrapped his arms around her tighter, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

"I'm sorry." He whispered it, taking the moment in silence before he jolted, hearing Ryotaro slam his first into the wall.

Ryotaro cursed under his breath and pulled himself to his feet, bee-lining towards Namatame's room before anyone could stop him.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair!


	16. Serene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya and Katsuya talk about their baby and their plan. Trigger warning for child death.

Once the investigation team had spread out, Maya stayed by Nanako's room, subtly aware that Teddie was still inside (for now).

She sat limply on one of the benches, and Katsuya took a seat next to her, leaning forward to get a better view of her face. 

It was quiet for a long moment. 

"Maya. . ."

"I've been trying so hard, Kacchan." Maya was almost whispering, eyes only making contact with the floor. "It's been a few months, hasn't it? I thought the time away would help, but it just got harder."

"I know. It's not. . .Easy." He cleared his throat some, and reached for Maya's hands. "I'm sorry I didn't let you know I was coming. It was last minute."

"It's alright, I know that-- it's been complicated. I love Nanako, Kacchan." She admitted it with a heavy heart. "The same way I love Yuki."

"I love Yuki, too." 

It was the first time they'd mentioned Yuki out loud since the day that she'd passed.

Yuki had been born to Maya and Katsuya at just 25 weeks, and while they'd been optimistic, after just a few days the strain of life was just too much for a baby that small.

Maya was crushed. She'd always had losses on her shoulders, but she felt the blame was on her and her alone. It was her body that had carried Yuki, after all, and she who'd named her after Yukino with the hopes of a strong, passionate child.

Katsuya just felt helpless. 

The trip to Inaba and the time away had been an idea between Maya and Mizuno. Mizuno still thought Maya was a bit of a floozy, but there was still empathy. 

Maya was truly a mother, and losing a child again --and again-- had been a nightmare. 

Maya squeezed Katsuya's hand and sniffed hard, trying to keep a good appearance.

"I think. . .I think I'd like to go home soon. I want to talk to Mizuno about it. I miss being home and I miss seeing you and. . ."

"I miss you, too. I think it'd be nice to have you back. . .I love you."

"I love you, too." Maya rested on his shoulder. 

They waited, with Katsuya unsure what they were waiting for up until Teddie sulked out of the room, leaving Nanako alone.

Maya pulled herself to her feet and gestured for Katsuya to come inside, closing the door behind them.

Looking over Nanako's small body, Katsuya swallowed the lump in his stomach. She really was young. He could see why Maya had taken a liking to her. 

"She looks rather serene."

"She does." Maya replied, pulling the blinds down, which earned her a questionable look from her fiancée.

"Are you planning something?"

"You felt it, didn't you?"

"The resonance from them?" Katsuya questioned. "I did, but I didn't assume it was an issue."

"I learned some things. It seems. . .They've been fighting for this. To save people. It's different than how we fought, Kacchan. It's in a different world. I'm not sure why, after all this time. . ."

How many years had it been? It'd been ten years since he'd started dating Maya, Katsuya thought. That had been a few years after he'd fought with them. . .

"Do you have a plan?" Katsuya reiterated.

"I told them I'd be there for Nanako, so this is the way, right? When I was younger, it was Maia who protected me, so now that Artemis is here. . ." 

Before Katsuya knew it, Artemis had flooded the room, silver light reflecting off of the shining panels of her armor.

Katsuya had always thought Artemis was a rather pretty Persona, and she matched perfectly with Apollo. He wondered if after all these years Hyperion had changed, either. 

He took a step back, and watched as Maya and Artemis worked-- practically like once.

He heart faint beeping after a few minutes, and Maya frantically rushed past him to call a doctor.

Artemis had vanished as quickly as she came, right back into Maya's heart. 

For one fleeting moment, Katsuya swore there was a golden butterfly on the hospital window ledge. He turned his back to it.


End file.
